The Muggle Way: Harry's Speech
by NanaHassan
Summary: Ron has finally plucked up the courage and asked Hermione to marry him. During the wedding, Harry gives out a speech that leaves the mothers crying and Ron afraid for his life. My take of the Romione wedding.


**_This one-shot is dedicated to Rosefeather, who encouraged me to write it. I hope it lives up to your expectations._**

**_This is my take on Ron and Hermione's wedding and the speech Harry gave in honour of his two best friends._******

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_**The Muggle Way: Harry's Speech**_

It was a gorgeous night. The air was balmy, the skies a dark, navy blue glittering with stars. The weather was warm, yet a cool breeze kept it from becoming stuffy. In other words, it was perfect.

Hermione Granger, Harry Potter's best friend and top female confidante, had insisted on having a night wedding. Ron Weasley, Harry's other best and first friend, had strangely conceded with nary an argument. It puzzled Harry, for he knew that Ron would've appreciated a day-lit ceremony. Hermione must have used her power of persuasion on Ron.

Or maybe she just threatened his wellbeing. Hermione was intimidating like that, and it was a trait of hers that Harry found rather adorable.

The wedding was held in the severely-transformed garden of the Burrow. The grassy land was perfectly mowed, all the garden gnomes tucked away. Pretty, blooming flowers chosen carefully to glow in the night clustered around corners and edges. They sprouted up in unexpected and forgotten curves, but instead of looking ridiculous, they enhanced the overall beauty of the place.

A huge floorless gazebo dominated the center of the large garden. Several small tables surrounded by tulle-draped chairs are occupied by numerous witches and wizards, all chattering amicably, light laughter floating in the air.

Hermione and Ron were seated on a plush love seat at one end of the gazebo, murmuring to each other happily. Harry grinned at his best mates' obvious love for each other. After seven years of fights, arguments and hidden affection, they were finally together and married, no less.

Ginny clutched at Harry's arm, her head resting on his shoulder. They have been together for a year now, having gotten back together immediately after the war ended. She had needed someone to console her after Fred's death, and Harry had needed someone to hold on to. It all worked out perfectly.

The sharp sound of metal clinking against glass brought the party's attention to Mr. Weasley, who was standing in front of Ron and Hermione with a huge grin on his face. Even so, almost everyone could see the sadness etched into the lines on his face. Fred's death was hard on them all.

"I'd like to propose a toast," exclaimed Mr. Weasley excitedly. "To Ron, for gathering his Gryffindor courage and finally proposing to Hermione."

There was a smattering of laughter and a chorused 'to Ron.'

"And to Hermione, for being mad enough to accept the proposal." This statement received hearty laughter from all the assembled, along with thunderous applause.

"To Hermione!" the crowd roared. Mrs. Weasley and Mrs. Granger were fully sobbing, leaning against each other. Mr. Granger just sat there, beaming at his only daughter. He was shortly joined by Mr. Weasley, who gave him a friendly pat on the back.

Harry got up from his seat next to Ginny, straightening his robes as he strode towards the happy couple and stood exactly where Mr. Weasley was standing a few seconds before.

"I have something to say," said Harry in a quiet voice. Silence reigned as every face turned towards him expectantly. Everyone waited with bated breath to hear what the Boy Who Lived had to say.

"I'm not one for speeches usually, but this case is an exception. Today we are all here to celebrate the wedding of my two best mates. We all knew this was going to happen, whether sooner or later. Personally, I can only say 'phew', as I've had to put up with seven years' worth of fighting from these two."

Dean, Seamus, Neville and the Patil twins all grinned conspiratorially at Harry, most probably remembering Ron and Hermione's frequent and usually blazing rows. Luna Lovegood, who was once again dressed in egg-yolk yellow robes, smiled serenely. Her protuberant eyes held a glint of amusement at the strangely-matching couple's antics.

"However, I do have something to say to Ron and Hermione that has been nagging at me for a few days." A hush fell over the crowd, as if they could sense that something big was coming. "Not many of you know what happened exactly during our disappearance in the year before the war. And most of you don't know that without Ron and Hermione's help, I'd be dead a hundred times over, ever since our first year when they helped me figure out that Fluffy, the three-headed dog, was guarding the Philosopher's Stone. And it certainly didn't end when we left Hogwarts.

You see, during the time we had all but dropped off the face of the Earth, we were following vital leads that eventually helped bring down Voldemort."

Harry smiled slightly as many witches and wizards gasped. The phrase 'fear of the name increases fear of the thing itself' ran through his mind, widening his smile.

"Anyway, Ron saved me from drowning in that lake. Hermione rescued me from being killed by Nagini, Voldemort's snake. These examples are nothing though, when you think about all they've done for me. But I'm not getting into that right now. I just want to say thank you, for everything you've done. You two are the best mates a bloke can ask for."

Mrs. Weasley and Mrs. Granger were weeping again, clutching at hankies. Harry shook his head in amusement. He wasn't finished yet.

"Now that _that_ is out of the way, I direct my next words to Ron. Ron, you better listen carefully, mate.

You've been going out with Hermione for almost a year now, and have been engaged for the last three months. Somehow," –here, Harry unsuccessfully fought a grin from forming- "you haven't made her cry yet, so I'm assuming you're being a good lad. However, should you hurt her, you will have to answer personally to me. I don't care whether you're my best mate or not, I'll castrate you if you do as much as look at another witch. Of course, Hermione is capable of doing that by herself. After all, she knows more hexes than the both of us combined, no?"

As Ron gulped, Harry allowed himself a smug smirk. Dean and Seamus were positively howling with laughter at their fellow Gryffindor's reddening face. Chuckling quietly, Hermione beamed at the raven-haired boy. Her father was smiling at Harry with pride, silently cheering him on.

"Oh, and if you mess this up, I don't mind keeping both Hermione and Ginny for myself. Just for the record.

Now, 'Mione, I'm talking to you. I know how stubborn you can be, as I've been your friend for almost a decade now. So do try not to get into as many rows as possible with Ron, ok? The Weasleys and I have really enjoyed this past year's peace."

Harry, Ron and Hermione all beamed at each other, memories of Hogwarts and all the happy moments running through their minds. "I just hope that suffices to say I love you both," Harry murmured to his two best friends in the whole wizarding and muggle world. Needless to say, everyone there heard his words.

"I've got a wedding gift to you two. As all muggle-borns here know, there's a muggle tradition that says _something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue and a six pence in your shoe_. Hermione, you've got something old already, your Mum's earrings. The something old, those hair combs from the Yule Ball and your necklace, borrowed from Molly. I told you I'd take care of the something blue part."

He fished around his robe's pockets for a while until he came up with a sheaf of parchment and a key. "Consider this a wedding gift, consider it a thank you for all the years of saving my arse, but that house in Ottery St. Catchpole that you wanted legally belongs to you and Ron now. Here's the deed and the key. I had it painted blue to fit the saying."

Before he could hand her the parchment, his vision was blocked by a tangle of wild, brown curls and he was engulfed by a hysterically sobbing young lady in a white wedding dressed. He hugged her tightly, moving to include Ron in the hug, so that the three of them were forming the triangle of the Golden Trio again. He was going to miss his best friends terribly when they went on their honeymoon.

Harry felt like he was finally home after a long journey, standing there in their arms. And for the first time since the war was over, he felt truly happy.

The trio vaguely registered that George, who had been on the brink of suicide after a period of depression after Fred's passing, had let out a bunch of Weasleys' Wildfire Whiz-bangs. Percy, Bill and Fleur, Ginny and Charlie were all cheering and screaming 'woo'. All their fellow Gryffindors and Luna had started singing the Hogwarts school song. It was all ridiculous, childish and fun. It was perfect.

_All was well. _


End file.
